Many thousands of visitors
flock to the Outer Banks each year. Beach-going families converge on the northern
areas, from Nags Head northward as far as Corolla, to enjoy the sand and surf.
Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, Duck, Sanderling,
Corolla, and the norhern "banks" provide a family atmosphere with plenty of
spacious rental properties.
Jockey's Ridge State Park at Nags Head and Wright
Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills attract visitors year-round.
Roanoke Island provides historic, educational and scenic attractions such as
the Elizabeth II State Historic Site, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site,
Elizabethan Gardens, and one of North Carolina's three state aquariums. Cape
Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores take up most of the remaining
landscape on the Outer Banks. This protected coastal environment, which includes
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, brings many who enjoy the fishing, wildlife,
birdwatching, surfing, camping, kayaking, shell collecting, sailboarding and
other activities. Visitors traveling with the added benefit of their own boat
have the greatest freedom. Four-wheel drive vehicles add a great measure of
freedom. Much of the national seashore area permits beach access, so exploration
by 4WD is very popular. Another facet that brings visitors is the folklore
and history. The Wright Brothers' first powered flight, the legend and history
of Blackbeard, the Lost Colony, the bravery and service of the Lifesaving Stations,
hundreds of shipwrecks, wild horses roaming Shackleford Banks and Carova, and
its lighthouses add to the mix of compelling reasons why the Outer Banks is
a fun place to experience.